'if ups the word.....' (e.e.cummings)

Hello everybody. I've just been to a marvellous workshop led by Hannah Sheppard of the DHH agency and then after that a 'Meet the agent' slot with her to discuss my novels.

I can't tell you good she is - you need to meet her yourself to find out. In the 'how to submit your novel' workshop she managed to encourage every participant while doling out good practical advice. I've blogged about the workshop in HOT (Hastings Online Times) so I'll put a link here once that goes live.

I have learned that my first three novels - the Dani stories - are not very marketable in their current form because of the time in which they are set - '60s - '80s. If they were rewritten as contemporary stories they would probably become marketable and Hannah said that she liked Dani's voice which was good to hear. This is information that I value greatly and I will think about whether and/or how to rewrite them. There will be a serious stock-taking coming soon.

I received helpful advice on the marketability of my contemporary novels, too, so I'm feeling positive about those. After the workshop on how to write a query letter, the next thing I shall do is to put that together and submit The Sauly Bird (or whatever title it finally gets).

I'm too tired to write more at the moment - exhaustion is setting in. More soon when I've picked myself up..... 'if ups the word and a world grows greener minute by second and most by more....' (e.e.cummings)

I hope that you're writing and 'tasting life twice' and that all your words are ebbing and flowing as they should.